Percolator with signal means



R. ZIDE PERCOLATOR WITH SIGNAL MEANS March 3, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1948 INVENTOR. 1154! PA Z/fiE March 3, 1953 R. ZlDE 2,630,111

PERCOLATOR WITH SIGNAL MEANS Filed Sept. 16, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J7 jz IN VEN TOR. mm/7 z/nz March 3, 1953 R. ZlDE 2,630,111

PERCOLATOR WITH SIGNAL MEANS Filed sept. 16, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. 4341/ 2/0:

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Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PERCOLATOR WITH SIGNAL MEANS Ralph Zide, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Perc- Tone Aluminum Products, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 16, 1948, Serial No. 49,499

6 Claims. (Cl. 126-388) This invention relates generally to covers and more particularly to top pieces attachable to covers of tea or coffee making apparatus, in particular of the percolator type.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means affording a very efficient and unbreakable top piece suitable for percolator covers and facilitating the incorporation of audible signal means, causing a rattling noise to draw attention to a person if the coffee is prepared in the percolator machine.

Still another ob ect of the invention is to provide means causing a reciprocal movement of a valve-like element within said top piece to thereby abut against a wall or walls of said top and bring about audible and perceptible signals.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide means seated within or directly associated with the cover of percolator or like machines so as to signal outside said cover when boiling or rising of the water takes place within the percolator.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means preventing the top piece from becoming loose or falling on said cover after installation of said top piece on the latter.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide means ensuring disengagement of the top piece from said cover for cleaning and other purposes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means facilitating the manufacture of the top piece either alone or integral with the cover from aluminum or other non-ferrous metal,

which will not be affected by boiling water, said cover containing only a few parts including a valve-like element which prevents spilling or ejecting of water from within said top or cover therewithout.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more fully described and the combination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings and. pointed out in the claims which form part of the specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a percolator equipped according to the invention with cover and top piece containing signal means.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view as seen in the direction of the arrows 4-4.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the cover of a percolator with top piece in modified form.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the cover of a percolator with a modified top piece.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the top piece of Fig. '7.

Figs. 9 to 12 illustrate partly in section and partly in elevation a further modified top piece constructed to fit various dimensions of openings of. covers for percolators.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary top plan view of the securing or retaining ring employed in the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is disclosed in Fig. 1 the upper part 29 of a coffee percolator which is equipped with a cover 2| adapted to fit with its arcuate end 22. over the crimped or curled edge 23 of said part 20. Cover 2| has a downwardly inclined surface 24 and acentral opening 25, the latter being defined by a narrow, preferably circular rim 261.

While all other parts of the percolator apparatus are made from metal, plastics, etc., the opening 25 of conventional percolator covers is fitted with. a glass or similar top piece or member, which. however, often gets lost or breaks and is subject to replacement.

According to the present invention the top piece 38, which, in the instance shown, is made preferably from a stamped aluminum material and attached to cover 2|, may be integral with.

said cover, if desired. Top piece 30 is somewhat dome shaped and has the upper wall 21 and the vertical circular wall 28 with flange or reinforced rib 29 which comes to lie and abut against the surface 24 adjacent rim 26 of said cover 2|. The lower end or edge of dome-shaped top piece 30 terminates into a plurality of lugs or legs 3| which are adapted in applied position of said top piece at the cover opening 25 to be bent around rim 26, whereby said top piece is firmly held in place and becomes associated with the cover 2| of the apparatus 20.

Fig. 1 shows lugs 3| in dotted. lines before and in full lines after the lugs are applied from below and against downwardly turned cover rim 26.

Upper wall 2! of top piece 39 has a central bore 32 through which slidably extends a rod 33 of a valve-like element 35, which comprises a bafile plate or element 34 and upper and lower abutments or cymbal-shaped parts 36, 31. These cymbal parts or abutments 36, 31 are afiixed to the rod 33 in any suitable manner, by soldering or screw threads and are so spaced from each other that upon reciprocal movement of rod 33 through bore or perforation 32 (as indicated by arrows A -A) parts 36 and 31 will abut against wall Zlto cause an audible, as well as visible signal. as is well understood.

At the lower end of rod 33 there is disposed a dish-shaped bafiie plate or element 34, which is, in this instance. circular and has downwardly directed flan e parts 3% which are separated from each other by a plurality of slots 39. The diameter of baiile plate 34 is preferably so chosen that said plate clears the inner diameter of wall 255 of top piece 3b. The distance of baffie plate 34 with respect to top wall 2i is predetermined. It is f rther preferred to arrange plate 34 a definite distance above rising ipe 40 for conducting boiling water to the distributoror sieve plate ll which is placed on top of basket 52 releasably held at 43 on said stem M. This basket 42 is adapted to receive ground coffee, which is brought into contact with said boiling water bv means of the di tributor plate 2-! in amanner well known in the art. As soon as boiling water rises in pipe 48 and is e ected therefrom according to arrows B against the underface M of the dished bafiie plate 3.4 the pressure exerted by the water forces the valve-like element 35 (baflle plate 34, rod 33 and curved or cymbal-shaped members 35. 37) first in upward direction whereby hollow plate member abuts against the inner face of wall 21 (indicated in dot and dash lines); subsequently element 35 returns to its normal or lowermost position by gravitv whereby hollow plate member 3? comes into contact with an upper surface portion of wall 27 and causes an audible and visible signal.

Durin these repeated movements and ejection of the boiling water any part of the later or ground coiiee particles possibly carried by the boiling water toward the upper surface of baflie plate 34 will be diverted (by curved member 36) in sideward and downward directions and escape through slots 39 and the clearance provided between the baiiie plate 3 and side wall 28 as indicated by arrow C. Thus, a reciprocal movement of element 35 is obtained whereby the aforesaid members 36, 3'! alternately abut against the wall 21 and bring about a perceivable or rattling signal to draw attention of the person preparing the cofiee.

Figs. 5 and. 6 show an embodiment of the invention as applied to cover 2! which has the downwardly directed inner rim 26 defining a central opening 25 in which top piece 50 is inserted from below said rim 26 to abut thereagainst in fixed and assembled position. Valvelike element extends through the opening 32 of the wall 27 of the top piece 55 as .hereinabove explained. Top piece 59 is aiiixed to the upper surface 2 3 of the cover or lid 2! by means of a split spring ring 5| which, as shown, is nested in a circular groove 53 provided in top piece 55. The split spring ring 55 abuts also against the upper end of the rim 25 adjacent surface 24.

Figs, '7 and 8 show a further modified form of the attachment of the top piece 6i! to the lid or cover 25. The valve-like element 35 is carried by the top piece 69 whereas the top piece itself is coupled with an inner tubular part 6| which buts from below against rim 26 by means of a flange 62. Tubular part BI is further provided with an inwardly turned circular groove 63 which engages or comes to rest against slotted end part 6 3 of the top piece 68 whereby the inner tubular part El and top piece 6|] tightly fit into each other and are thus detachably coupled to the lid or cover 2!. Slots 65 in the lower end flange 64 of top piece 69 contribute to the springiness of the top piece 65, as may be easily realized.

Figs. 9 to 13 illustrate a modified detachable top piece iii as applied to the lid or cover 2 I, the latter having the rim 26a providing a predetermined opening 25a in the cover 2|. Domeshaped top piece 7!] terminates in a corrugated circular flange H which is shaped to fit various sizes of openings of lids of percolators or similar machines.

According to the sizes of the percolator covers the openings are different in diameter, such as demonstrated in Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 wherein the respective diameter of the openings are designated by numerals 25a, 25b 25c and 2512.

As seen in Fig. 9 a slotted and springy retainer ring 52 having the slots is is employed to engage With its curve shaped end 14 the inwardly turned circular groove 0r recess 74a of top piece Or cover extension 5%) in which ring member 12 is nested in applied position and extends along the upper surface 24 of lid 2| against which ring member 72 abuts.

Flange H has differently spaced corrugations l5, 16, H, 78, which are of such shape or configuration that while the position of slotted retainer ring '12 with respect to the groove Ma is substantiallynot altered, flange 1| comes into abutting position and tight engagement from below with any of the rims 26a, 26b, 26c, Zed, as the case may be. Various openings 25a, 25b, 25c, and 25d of commercially used covers are thus taken into consideration, so that top piece or cover extension It may be applied to or associated with various known constructions of percolator covers having various dimensions of openings. on the left hand side of Figs. 10, 11 and 12 top piece or cover extension Ill and cover 2| are shown in section, whereas the right hand side of these figures illustrates top piece or cover extension 15 and cover 2! in side elevation.

As may be gathered from Fig. 9 baiil plate 34 is adjustably supported on rod 33, as by threaded rod portion 33a and lock nut 34a, which engages the latter. Thus the distance of the plate 34 from the upper end of stem or rising pipe 48 may be easily regulated whereby the extent of the up and down movements of valve element 35 may be predetermined.

It is further to be noted that the particular shape of member 35 prevents any escape of boil-- ing water through bore 32 through which rod 33 extends.

Itis well understood that the corrugations of flange H are preferably so shaped that they facilitate a tight engagement with the respective rim of the cover, whereby the escape of any boiling water and the like from within the percolator is entirely avoided.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided according to this invention a novel attachment to percolator machines, which attachment may be connected with the cover or may form an integral part with the cover and which is of sturdy construction and fulfills all requirements of the practice. The signal rreans contained in the hollow cover or body attached to the latter extends from the cover therewithout and is actu,

atable by the boiling water ejected cyclic motions from the rising pipe to provide perceivable signal without the percolator so that a person enabled to readily check when the coffee in the percolator is being prepared.

Although the invention has been with reference to certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be distinctly understood that various modifications and adaptations of the arrangeherein disclosed may be made as may read ily occur to persons slrilied in the art Withoi'it constituting a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the objects and in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent,

1. A. pcrcolator and like apparatus comprising a cover for said apparatus, and a valve element accommodated within cover and including at least dishaiha plate member W in said cover and a rod, said rod being arranged for reciprocal movement partly within cover and partly thcrewithcut whereby said plate member when exposed to impingement by boiling substance within said apparatus through said rod a perceivable signal without said apparatus, said rod including at least one abutment member positioned without said cover and smaller in size than that of said plate member.

2. A percolator and like apparatus having a cover with an inner surface and with an outer surface and having a. central opening; comprising a dome-shaped top piece arranged to be seated on said cover for closing said opening, said top piece having a wall provided with a bore, a rod extending through said bore from within said top piece therewithout, a member positioned outside of said top piece and at one end of said rod to thereby bear against said wall of said top piece therewithout, a dish-shaped element connected to said rod at the opposite end thereof and within said top piece, abutment means supported by said rod and adapted to abut against said wall of said top piece therewithin, said top piece including a flange adapted for contact with the inner surface of said cover adjacent said opening, and retaining means associated with said. dome-shaped top piece and extending therefrom for engagement with the outer surface of said cover whereby upon impingement of boiling substance through said opening of said cover against said dish-shaped element said rod is moved to bring about successively abutment of said member and of said abutment means against said Wall of said top piece.

3. A percolator and like apparatus having a cover with an inner surface and with an outer surface and having a central opening; comprising a dome-shaped top piece shaped to be removconnected to said cover for closing said 0pensaid top piece having a wall provided with a bore extendin n axial alignment with said cover a rod through said bore from w thin said top piece thcrewithout, a member iositioned outside of said top piece and to one and of said rod to thereby bear against said wall of top piece therewithout, a dish-shaped element connected to said rod at the opposite end thereof, abutment mean-s supported by said rod and adapted to abut against said wall of said top piece thcrewithin, said top piece including means adapted for contact with the inner surface of said cover adjacent said opening thereof, and retaining means associated with said domeshaped top piece and engaging said outer surface of said cover whereby upon impingement of boiling substance passing through opening of said cover against said dish-shaped element said rod ved to bring about successively abutment and of said abutment means against said wali of said top piece.

A nercolator according to claim 3, wherein d1 h-shaped eiement is threadediy connected to the opposite end of said rod, to thereby regulate position of said. element with respect to said cover opening.

o. A percoiator according to claim 3, wherein said dish shaped element is positioned a prededistance from said wall of said top piece when member bears on said Wall of said top piece therewithout, said dish-shaped element being larger in than said member.

5. A percolator according to claim 3, wherein said dish shaped element and said dome-shaped top piece are substantially cylindrically shaped, the outer diameter of said dish-shaped element being smaller than the inner diameter of said dome-shaped top piece.

RALPH ZIDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 550,568 Stieielhagen Nov. 26, 1895 711,385 Coyle Oct. 14:, 1902 848,816 Ducrr Apr. 2, 1907 967,954 Morrison et a1. Aug. 23, 1910 1,123,242 Gillis Feb. 9, 1915 1,648,407 Kumagai Nov. 8, 1927 1,853,438 Lambach Apr. 12, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 25,832 Great Britain of 1896 134,292 Great Britain Oct. 28, 1919 346,779 Germany Jan. 7, 1922 101,987 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1923 

